Most Bizarre Alcoholic Drinks in the World

Love the idea of tasting exotic liquor from around the world? Well, then here are some bizarre drinks that you might want to try.

Tastessence Staff

Did You Know?

The End of History by BrewDog is a beer with 55% alcohol, and the bottles come in stuffed animals, such as squirrels and rabbits. The makers claim that it is the 'strongest, most expensive, and most shocking beer in the world'.

If you look at the different alcoholic drinks from regions across the world, you'll find a wide variety of ingredients used. Right from Asian wines that have dead animals immersed in the bottles (yes, you've heard it right!) to the pizza beer found closer to home, there are numerous options out there if you're one who's bored of the same old stuff when it comes to alcoholic drinks.

While some of these traditional drinks are said to possess certain medicinal properties, others just give you a different experience. However, one thing is common to all of them and that is, they are the most bizarre drinks you can get hold of. So, are you ready to discover the secret behind these crazy concoctions?

1. Baby Mouse Wine

Rice wine is believed to have healing powers, more so if it is 'enriched' with dead animals of all kinds. Find it hard to believe? Well, just head to China or Korea to see for yourself! Perhaps the most bizarre of all is the Baby Mouse Wine. While the name may sound catchy to the uninitiated, just one look at the bottle is enough to change your mind. This wine, said to possess healing powers, is a traditional drink made by drowning newborn mice live in rice wine, and allowing it to ferment for almost a year. The mice used for preparing the drink should not be more than 3 days old, to avoid fur in the drink. This concoction is said to provide relief from a host of ailments, including asthma. Wish to take a sip? Well, chances are you'll be put off by the horrible smell and taste.

2. Snake Wine

After taking a sip of the Korean mouse wine, you should head to China or Vietnam, for a glass of snake wine. Now, if you're wondering what it is and how it is made, the procedure is similar to that of mouse wine. This health tonic is prepared by putting the entire snake inside the jars of rice wine, and allowing it to ferment. It is believed to be a cure for hair loss, and also improves vision. Several species of venomous snakes are used to prepare this wine, including cobras. The venom from the snakes is denatured by the action of ethanol. It is believed to have originated in Vietnam.

3. Lizard Wine

This is another of those strange wines that you commonly find in Asia, and is found in some villages of China and Vietnam. The lizards used for this purpose are species of gecko, and they are soaked in rice liquor. The alcohol absorbs energy or chi from the reptiles, and the powerful energy can benefit the person who drinks it. The fermentation process takes place for a year, resulting in a green liquor that can even ward off negative influences.

4. Pizza Beer

Pizza beer was discovered by Tom and Athena Seefurth, when they had a surplus of tomatoes and garlic. The brand Mamma Mia! was founded in 2006, in Campton Township of Illinois. The best thing about this unique beer is that it tastes like your favorite food (if you love pizza, that is!). It is fermented in 2 weeks. This is what the official site of the product has to say regarding the process of making the pizza beer: "essence of pizza spices is washed off with hot water and filtered into a brewpot, where it is boiled for a long time." This means, you won't find any residues of the ingredients used to make the pizza. Instead, all you'll find is just the 'essence'.

5. Pulque

The pulque is nothing but an alcoholic beverage made from the fermented viscous sap of the maguey plant. It is also known as octli, and is a traditional Mexican drink. During the Mesoamerican period, it was considered sacred, and was not available for the common man. Its history can be traced back to the Aztecs.

6. Chili Beer

If you are someone who prefers his beer hot, then chili beer is the stuff for you. It is no different from your everyday beer, except that a drop of serrano chili pepper is added to every bottle. Wanna have a sip?

7. Seagull Wine

What do you do when you have a bunch of seagulls? Make wine out of them, or so do the Eskimos. Discovered by the Eskimos, this is one of the most bizarre wines out there. Now, if you're wondering how one can make wine out of a bird, then you'll be amazed to know that the process of making this wine is fairly simple. All one needs to do is kill a seagull, put it in a bottle, pour some hot water, and leave it in the sun to ferment. Just one sip of this wine, and you'd probably never again touch wine in your life.

8. Moonshine

A dangerous liquor with a beautiful name, that's precisely what moonshine is. This illicit alcoholic drink is also known by other names, such as white lightning, hooch, mountain dew, and Tennessee white whiskey. It is brewed in the backwoods of the Appalachians in the light of the moon. This distilled spirit is dangerous because of its possible contamination by the materials used in the construction of the sill.

9. Scorpion Wine

If you're after bizarre wines, then Asia is surely your dream destination. If snakes can be used to prepare wines, how can other venomous creatures, such as scorpions, be far behind? The venom from the scorpions is neutralized, as the proteins in the venom are denatured by the ethanol. Scorpion wine has a host of health benefits, and is believed to be a natural aphrodisiac. What's more, you can now order it online if you want a sip!

10. Kumis

Kumis is nothing but a fermented drink made from mare's milk. It is popular in Central Asia, and its origin can be traced back thousands of years. It is made by fermenting mare's milk for several days, and is stirred continuously all the while to prevent coagulation.

Now that we have learned about so many weird wines and the weird stuff that goes into making them, which one would you pick? Do let us know.